ECE121: Electronics (1)

Lecture 7: Zener Diodes

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny

Electronics and Communications Engineering
Faculty of Engineering (Shoubra)
Benha University

Spring 2017

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Lecture Outline:

1 Introduction.

2 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

3 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 2 / 14

 Introduction.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.

2 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

3 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 3 / 14

 Introduction.

Introduction:

The Zener diode has three regions of operations. Each

region has it own approximation model.
It can be used as a part of protection circuit or as a
voltage regulator.
The use of the Zener diode as a regulator is so common
that three conditions surrounding the analysis of the
basic Zener regulator are considered:
1 Fixed load and fixed supply voltage.
2 Fixed supply voltage and variable load.
3 Variable supply voltage and fixed load. Zener diode characteristics
The first case is already studied in the previous semester
and will briefly reviewed.

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 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.

2 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

3 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 5 / 14

 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

Fixed Vi , Fixed RL :
Example

Example
For the Zener diode regulator,
1 Determine VL , VR , IZ and PZ .
2 If the load is changed to RL = 3 kΩ,
repeat the above problem.

Example

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 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

Fixed Vi , Fixed RL :

Solution:
1 Determine the voltage across the Zener diode to

determine its state:

Vi RL 1.2
Vzener = VL = = 16 = 8.73 V
RL + R 1 + 1.2
Since the voltage across the Zener is smaller than
VZ and the diode is reverse, then the Zener is OFF.

VL = Vzener = 8.73 V

VR = Vi − VL = 16 − 8.73 = 7.27 V Example

IZ = 0
PZ = 0 Watts
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 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

Fixed Vi , Fixed RL :

Solution:
2 If R = 3 kΩ :
L

RL 16 × 3
Vzener = Vi = = 12 V
R + RL 1+3
Since the voltage across the zener is greater than
VZ then the zener is operating in the zener region
and can be approximated as battery with VZ :

VL = VZ = 10V
Example
VR = Vi − VL = 16 − 10 = 6V
VR 6V
IR = = = 6mA
R 1 kΩ
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 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

Fixed Vi , Fixed RL :

Solution:
VL 10V
IL = = = 3.33 mA
RL 3kΩ
IZ = IR − IL = 6 − 3.33 = 2.67 mA
The power dissipated by the Zener diode is:

PZ = IZ × VZ = 26.7 mW Example

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Table of Contents

1 Introduction.

2 Fixed Vi , Fixed RL .

3 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :

The load resistance RL determines the

state of the Zener (on or off).
Too small a RL will result in a voltage VL
across the load resistor less than VZ , and
the Zener device will be in the “off” state.
We need to find the range of load
resistance that ensure the on state for the
zener diode
RL
VL = Vi
R + RL

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :
To determine the minimum load
resistance, RLmin :
It is the resistance that will result in a lad
voltage VL = VZ :
RL
VL = VZ = Vi
R + RL
R VZ
RLmin =
Vi − VZ
So, if a load resistance is grater than RLmin
then the Zener will be on and:
VL VZ
ILmax = =
RL RLmin
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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :
To determine the maximum load
resistance, RLmax :
Once the diode is ON, the voltage across R is fixed at:

VR = Vi − VZ

and,
VR
IR =
R
The Zener current is:

IZ = IR − IL

IZ is limited to the maximum zener current IZM from

the data sheet.
ILmin = IR − IZM
VZ
RLmax =
ILmin

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :

Example:
1 For the shown network, determine the
range of RL and IL that will result in VL
being maintained at 10 V .
2 Determine the maximum wattage rating
of the diode.

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :

Solution:
R VZ 1 kΩ 10V
RLmin = =
Vi − VZ 50V − 10V
RLmin = 250 Ω
VL VZ 10
ILmax = = = = 40mA
RL RLmin 250

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :

Solution:
VR = Vi − VZ = 50 − 10 = 40 V
VR 40V
IR = = = 40mA
R 1 kΩ

ILmin = IR − IZM = 40 − 32 = 8mA

VZ 10 V
RLmax = =
ILmin 8 mA

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :

Dr. Haitham El-Hussieny ECE121: Electronics (1) 13 / 14

 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

Fixed Vi , Variable RL :

Solution:

PZmax = VZ IZM = (10 V )(32 mA) = 320mW

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 Fixed Vi , Variable RL .

End of Lecture

Best Wishes

haitham.elhussieny@gmail.com

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